Thomas smith



L b e e h S s t. e e. h S 2 H T m S T M e d 0 .M 0 w MACHINE-FOR FOLDING SHEET METAL. No. 536,159.-

Patented Mar. 19, 1895.

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NITED STATES- PATENT QFEiiC.

THOMAS SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO MAX BROMBAOHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR FOLDING SHEET METAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part; of Letters Patent No. 536,159, dated March l9, 1895.

Application filed March 28,1894.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SMITH, of the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Folding Sheet Metal, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement relates to machines for folding the edges of sheet metal.

I will describe a machine embodying my improvement and then point out the novel features in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top view or plan of a machine embodying my improvement, certain portions being broken away and one part being swung up out of its normal position. Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a central transverse section. Fig. 4 is a similar View of certain parts, in another position. Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the plane of the dotted line 5, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a back view of the machine.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

In general construction this machine is substantially like the machine which is set forth in United States Letters Patent No. 351,490, granted October 6, 1886, to Charles Brombacher.

A designates a folding bar provided with journals A supported in' bearings providedin a swinging frame I) and provided with an arm B, whereby it may be oscillated.

O designates a plate, around Whose edge the bar A is oscillated. Under it is a clamp R consisting of a portion of the frame b. A gage D is employed to determine the width of the portion of metal which is bent or folded over and this gage is'located below the plate The metal to be bent is introduced between the plate O and the folding bar A, it being slipped into the space between the same as far as permitted by the front edge of the gage D.

The journal A of the folding bar may be provided with rollers a which may be made integral. The rollers a. rest upon rollers 6 having theirjournals supported by hearings in a frame F, which is pivotally connectedat the inclines a 'the bar V through a slot formed longitudinally in the bar like part a of the folding bar one end to standards g extending upwardly Serialllo. 505,503. m. model.)

from the base-plate G of the machine. To these Standards g the frame I) is also pivotally connected. Theouter end of the frame F is supported by means of screws g which extend through tapped holes in the frame F and bear upon the base plate Gr. By turning the screws diiferent adjustments of the frame F may be made to suit different thicknesses of metal.

The rollers 0. of the folding bar A have at a certain point in their circumferences, a notch a corresponding in contour with the circumference of the rollers e these notches being immediately above the rollers c When the folding bar is extended out horizontally and being removed out of contact with the rollers e when the folding bar is swung upwardly, so as to cause the frame I) to be swung upwardly. Thus the clamp R is moved upwardly to clamp the edge of the metal under the plate C.

It will be understood that the frame b is supported at all times by the frame F because journals are sustained by the frame F.

It will be seen that the folding bar is composed of two parts, one of which consists of a bar a having formed integral with it the rollers at and journals A and a second part made in the form of a plate a provided with lugs a which are pivotally connected to lugs a formed integral with the bar a by studs a. Thus a pivotal connection is provided between the plate like part a of the folding bar and the bar like part a of said folding bar.

It will be seen, especially by reference to Figs. 3 and 4 that the plate like part a of the folding bar is provided with flanges that exsides of the bar like part a of the folding bar.

One of the flanges a is provided with a series of inclines a.

With these inclines coact inclines Q) formed on a bar V that is fitted to slide on the bar a of the folding bar, so as to be capable of moving longitudinally under A rod or stud 1) extends from and is'connectedwith one arm of a lever V As here shown the stud is screw-threaded on the end and fitted with a clamping nut so that by turning the nut one of the arms of the lever may be clamped between the nut and the adjacent surface of the bar like part a of the folding bar. Thus it will be seen that the bar V may be shifted into different positions and fastened after adjustment. The inclines 2; do not by a longitudinal movement of the bar V ooact with the inclines a to raise the plate like part a of the folding bar, but the bar V is shifted merely to throw different parts of its inclines n opposite the inclines a When the folding bar is in its normal position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, its plate like part a will rest upon the pins a extending upwardly from the frame F. While so sup ported that surface of the plate like portion a which will be uppermost will be substantially on a level with the top surface of the clamp R. Thus facility is afforded for feeding a strip or sheet of tin into position.

When the folding bar is oscillated, the plate like part a will leave the pins a, the inclines a comingin contact with the inclines o. The plate like part a will by this means rest upon the bar like part a On further movement of the folding bar, the plate like part a is carried around and acts upon the sheet of metal. The adjustment of the bar Vdetermines the amount of oscillation which shall be given to the plate like part a of the folding bar independently of the bar like part 0.

As soon as the folding bar is oscillated and the clamp R thereby raised, the plate like portion a of the folding bar will be left behind, so that it will no longer be upon a level with the top of the clamp, as illustrated in Fig. at. The position of the plate like portion a will after the beginning of the oscillation of the folding bar be determined by the inclines a in connection with the inclines 2). Hence by adjusting the bar V, the sharpness or bluntness of the bend which may be made in a strip or sheet can be determined.

U, U designate two stops pivoted to alug u extending from the frame I) and capable of being swung, one at a time, into position opposite one of the lugs a to limit the oscillating movement of the folding bar. Both may be swung out of the way if desired. Either may be used to secure a definite position of the folding bar at the end of its oscillation.

G designates an upward extension from the base piece G, and servingto support the plate 0, around the edge of which the folding bar moves. This support G is provided at about the middle of its length with an extension G The gage D has an extension d, that fits in to a passageway-in the extension G of the support G. This passageway is shown as being provided with side flanges r, 'r, between which the extension (I of the gage slides. Portions of the inner bearing surfaces of flanges r, r are shown as being cut away forming spaces r T The gage is adjustable back and forth in the direction of the length of its extension d, and is guided by the latter in its movements. The extension G2 may be provided with a spring g here shown as made in the form of a plate having a bearing at its middle against the extension (Z of the gage and two bearings near its ends against the inside of the extension G A screw g workingin a tapped hole in the side of the extension G bears against the middle portion of the spring and serves, by exerting pressure upon the same, to steady the extension (Z of the gage in its longitudinal movement. At the top of one side portion of the extension d is an index scale d, which in connection with the edge of the extension G2 will indicate the position of the gage. In the extension G beneath the extension (1 of the gage is a spring D. Its middle portion rests in a groove formed in the extension G and its ends against the under surface of the side portions of the extension (Z. By means of this spring the gage is held upward against the plate 0, which is of importance.

I designates a lever fulcrumed to the under side of the extension G by means of a pin, 1'. At the inner end it is pivotally connected to a link J, that is pivotally connected to the gage D and works in the space formed in the interior of the extension d of the gage. By oscillating the lever I, by manipulating its outer end with the hand, the gage may be moved backward or forward. The lever I is provided with a slot, 11, which is are shaped and concentric with its fulcrum-pin i. A screw 1, which is fastened into the extension G extends through the slot 11' of the lever. A nut, I, applied to the outer end of the screw below the lever, serves to secure the lever, and consequently the gage, in position after adjustment. It in effect constitutes, with the screw and the lover, a lock for the gage.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine for folding sheet metal, the combination with a plate around the edge of which the sheet metal is to be folded, of a folding bar comprising a plate like part and a bar like part having a pivotal connection with each other, supports independent of the bar like part of the folding bar for supporting the free end of the plate like part, and means carried by the folding bar for varying the position of the plate like part of the folding bar, substantially as specified.

2. In a machine for folding sheet metal, the combination with a plate around the edge of which the sheet metal is to be folded, of a folding bar comprising a plate like part and a bar like part having a pivotal connection with each other, supports independent of the bar like part of the folding bar for supporting the free end of the plate like part, inclines on the plate like part, and means, consisting of a sliding bar having inclines, carried by the folding bar for varying the position of the said independently movable plate like part of the folding bar, substantially as specified.

3. In a machine for folding sheet metal, the

combination with a plate around the edge of which the sheet metal is to be folded, of a folding bar comprising a plate like part and a bar like part having a pivotal connection with each other, supports independent of the bar like part of the folding bar for supporting the free end of the plate like part, inclines on the plate like part, means, consisting of a sliding bar having inclines, carried by the folding bar for varying the position of the said independently movable plate like part of the folding bar, a slot in the mainpart of the folding bar, a stud passing from the sliding bar through said slot, a lever connected with said stud for adjusting the sliding bar and a clamp acting upon the said lever to secure the bar in position, substantially as specified.

4. In a machine for folding sheet metal, the combination of a folding bar and a number of independently movable pivoted stops against which the bar rests in its abnormal or folding position,substantially as specified.

5. In a machine for folding sheet metal,the combination with a plate around the edge of which the sheet metal is to be folded, a folding bar,a clamp, and a gage extending under said plate, of a spring inserted under said combination with a plate around the edge of which the sheet metal is to be folded, a folding bar, a support provided with an extension, a clamp, and a gage having an extension, of a spring, consisting of a strip of metal, inserted between the extension of said support and the extension of the gage and a screw engaging with the extension of said support and bearing against said spring, for holding the gage securely in position, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS SMITH. 

